RI Central - Meeting boycott: 2 attend and 2 don't

The Charlestown Town Council meeting scheduled for Monday night was postponed for more of the same political reasons that have stalled town business for nearly two years.

Although acting council President James M. Mageau and councilor Bruce W. Picard showed up, they were not joined by their fellow councilors.

In a letter to Town Administrator Edward Barrett and Town Clerk Jodi LaCroix, councilor Katharine H. Waterman outlined why she would not be able to attend the meeting. She explained that she came to this decision after learning that councilor Harriet A. Allen would not be there. This would have resulted in Waterman facing off against Mageau and Picard. Calls to Allen and Picard were not returned.

“Mr. Mageau, for all intents and purposes, controls two votes on the council. Therefore it is necessary to have the other two members present at all meetings to maintain balance and proper vetting of decisions,” Waterman wrote, referring to the fact that Mageau and Picard have a strong tendency to cast the same votes. “That might be legal, but it is not good, democratic government,” she added.

In her letter, Waterman first referred to an agenda item that lumped together three issues that had been previously voted on by the council.

The item sought approval for an RFP for a review of state septic regulations, as well as the approval of a contract with the Hinckley, Allen, and Snyder law firm for both the design of an Other Post Employment Benefits Trust and a tax deferment program for senior citizens/taxpayers who have lived in town for at least five years.

Of including this particular item, Waterman wrote: “If [this is] not illegal, which I believe it is, it is certainly without precedent, and procedurally unacceptable.” She added that that her request to separate the item into three separate items was denied by Mageau.

Waterman’s other objection was to a vote on a business plan for a concert and event facility at Ninigret Park. She wrote that she read about the proposal in the newspaper before receiving the actual document herself.

“Not only have we not seen this 71-page document, it has not been discussed by any one of the commissions or committees of the town,” Waterman wrote. She was referring to the Economic Improvement Committee, Ninigret Park Development Committee, and Finance Committee, all of which would be involved in approving the plan.

The business proposal, which was prepared by Mageau, would be part of the overall Ninigret Park Master Plan. From start to finish, the plan estimates it would cost an estimated $1.5 million turn an 11.2-acre parcel into a dedicated festival and concert area. The money would come from a bond that voters would have to approve.

To cover the costs associated with the plan, a pre-determined user fee schedule would be developed. The example provided in the proposal projects a total of $300,000 from the four major events – Charlestown Seafood Festival, Big Apple Circus, Rhythm and Roots Festival, and Reggae Festival – and six new events, each with an estimated attendance of 5,000.

The plan then reads that a bigger event, such as a Jimmy Buffet concert, could draw 20,000 people. And a mere $5 from each ticket would result in an income of $100,000 for the town.

Another user fee option would be to establish a minimum of $10,000 per event or a percentage (5 to 10 percent) of the event’s receipts. This is similar to an idea proposed by the Parks and Recreation Commission that has been bouncing around for the past few months.

According to Waterman, this plan still should have not been sprung upon the council in this manner. Even if there was a “full council of five rational, deliberative members, this ramrod, ninth-hour proposal would still not be acceptable,” she wrote. But with sensible councilors, she added, one could assume that the item would be tabled to receive the proper scrutiny.

Mageau responded to the letter by saying Waterman’s decision to not attend the meeting was irresponsible. “And for her to write a letter accusing me of ramrodding something through the town council meeting is one of the most dishonest things she has done,” he said.